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WUMFSA Devotionals for Advent to Epiphany, 2003 - 2004 Monday, January 5, 2004 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Isaiah 60:2 As symbols, darkness and light express theology's most profound truths. Throughout the Christian year we use these terms to speak of conversion, redemption, and the struggles between good and evil. At Christmastime we use words like "light" to speak of Jesus Christ, the one who enters the darkness of our world. We can, however, overemphasize the polarity between light and darkness. To say that light represents all that is holy and that dark symbolizes all that is sinister shortchanges both terms. Darkness, too, has a positive connotation, whether it is a person's race or the difference between day and night. Darkness, theologically speaking, can be a source of birth and blessing, a place in the shadows where God can meet us. In these dim Wisconsin days, we celebrate Advent, a time of blessed darkness. Whether it is in the darkness of Mary's womb or in the earth below, great things are being readied. Advent invites us to find an obscure, sacred place where we can restore our souls and ready ourselves for the coming of the Lord. In the weeks preceding Christmas, as our northern hemisphere moves farther from the sun, we have a chance to make sacred space in the darkness. This is our opportunity to ready ourselves for the arrival of great things. Only by purposely taking this time in the darkness will we come to understand the true meaning of the coming of the Light. What are the ways that we can use this time to ready ourselves for Jesus' arrival? What preparations do we want to make so that we can fully receive our Lord?
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